A rewarding wait

Kyle Roach understands the importance of patience.

As a highly touted freshman buried on a team loaded with MLS prospects, the Terrapins men's soccer defender has spent much of the season in an unfamiliar position: stuck on the bench.

"Obviously, he hasn't played that much because we don't rotate in the back," coach Sasho Cirovski said Tuesday. "He's playing behind a couple really top players."

But Roach, a former high school Academic All-American, knew better than to sit passively as those same top players shut down numerous high-powered attacks this year. The Plainsboro, N.J., native took scrupulous mental notes, hoping he'd one day get the chance to prove his worth.

"You've just got to realize that your time is going to come," Roach said. "And you've got to be ready when it does."

That time arrived early in the second half of a game at No. 4 North Carolina on Friday. Nursing a 1-0 lead over the Tar Heels, the No. 1 Terps (13-1-2, 4-1-1 ACC) suffered three major blows in rapid succession.

Defender London Woodberry was called for a handball inside the box in the 60th minute and was ejected on a straight red card.

With the Terps a man down for the second time in seven days, North Carolina midfielder Enzo Martinez converted the ensuing penalty kick, evening the score at 1-1. Just a minute later, Terps defender Alex Lee went down with a leg injury.

The Terps were suddenly without two starters on the backline, and the stakes could hardly be higher. The winner would take the upper hand in the race toward the ACC regular-season title, moving one step closer to securing a No. 1 seed in the conference tournament.

So, with his first regular-season title since 2005 likely in the balance, Cirovski called on Roach.

To the casual fan, the move may have seemed odd. Roach had played just 91 minutes through 15 games this season. He'd seen action in just one of the Terps' previous eight matches, and that was against unheralded Adelphi, hardly a squad with the attacking talent of the Tar Heels.

But Cirovski had watched as the former New Jersey Prep Player of the Year answered each challenge he's faced since arriving at this university last spring.

First, it was getting his stamina up to a collegiate level. Then, it was moving from the forward slot, where he had excelled throughout high school, and settling into the backline.

The 19th-year coach was so impressed with Roach's development, in fact, that he started him when Lee was unable to play in a Sept. 4 win over Radford.

"Look, [Roach] is a great soccer player," Cirovski said. "We're just seeing glimpses of what he can do now."

But no glimpse was more impressive than the one Roach provided Friday. With 34 minutes still separating the Terps from their second tie of the season, Roach slid into the center back slot seamlessly.

Along with Helge Leikvang, who was moved back from the midfield to fill in for Woodberry, he helped limit the Tar Heels to just two shot attempts throughout both sudden-death overtimes.

"It's kind of tough coming into the situation he did," forward Matt Oduaran said. "But he prepared all season for this, and when he got his chance, he rose to the occasion."

That occasion may come again when the Terps play Friday at Clemson. After his red card last week, Woodberry must sit out against the Tigers.

Given his performance under trying circumstances at North Carolina, Roach figures to be the logical choice to replace Woodberry at center back.

"I'd expect Kyle to go in there," defender Taylor Kemp said Friday. "I mean, he's been doing a great job all season. He did well today, so I think he'll do well in that position next week."

Still, Cirovski isn't willing to concede the start to Roach quite yet. At practice earlier this week, he said the team was still looking at a "few different modifications in the backline."

But even if Roach doesn't earn the start Friday, don't expect him to fret over it. After all, if there's one thing he's learned in college thus far, it's how to wait.

"You've got to be ready to go in whenever," he said. "If the decision doesn't go my way, I'm still going to be ready to play."

letourneau@umdbk.com